To minimize the possible severity of injury to a vehicle occupant during a crash or similar event, the rigidity or stiffness of any vehicle interior components that the occupant may strike during such an event should be of the correct level to absorb the maximum amount of kinetic energy without applying force to the occupant in a manner or degree that is likely to cause injury. The optimum or desired level of stiffness of the interior component may depend, at least in part, upon the size and weight of the occupant. Recent advances in the fields of computer modeling, vehicle dynamics sensing, crash prediction, and occupant sensing (size, condition, and/or position) provide a wealth of information that may be used to determine the optimal level of stiffness of a vehicle interior component.